WWYDW – The Fourth Line Centre

With training camp nearing a close and the regular season opener just one week away, it’s crunch time for players to try and secure their place on the team. That may not be true for anybody more than it is for Dominic Moore, who with just three preseason games left, appears to be on the outside looking in.When the Leafs signed Moore at the start of free agency, the assumption was that he would be the team’s new, full-time fourth line center, replacing the departed Brian Boyle. But things have changed, as rookie free agent signing Miro Aaltonen seems locked in at the position alongside Matt Martin and Connor Brown. This leaves Moore, along with other bubble players such as Josh Leivo, Kasperi Kapanen, Kerby Rychel, and Nikita Soshnikov to fight for the remaining 1-2 forward spots.

So today’s question is: what would you do with Dominic Moore? Would you put him in the 4C role? Would you keep him on the team as an extra forward? Would you place him on waivers?

After reviewing Heritage sports, it’s clear the Leafs are a contending team in the Eastern Conference. As a result, with the East being as tight and competitive as it is, the team needs any advantage it can get. It’s a difficult decision, and each choice has its own pros and cons. Putting him in the 4C role doesn’t make a lot of sense at the moment, as Aaltonen has earned the spot. If you keep him on the team as an extra forward, you have a spare center, not to mention a strong veteran presence, to aid the team when needed. But that also means you’re setting aside other young players with more upside, such as Leivo, Kapanen, or Rychel. And if you place him on waivers, you risk losing a potentially valuable asset, while allowing for a younger player to take his place. Also, if he were to clear waivers, you’d be carrying $75k in dead cap space due to Moore’s contract.

So, what would you do with Dominic Moore? Let us know in the comments below.

I don’t think losing Moore on waivers is a big deal. The preseason has shown that he just can’t keep up anymore as he’s taken many uncharacteristic penalties because he just can’t skate with these guys anymore. I’d like to see a guy like Komarov move down to the fourth line and allow Brown to play with Kadri and Marleau (assuming that’s how the lines will end up). I love Uncle Leo but I feel putting him on the fourth line would help that line defensively as well as make them an ultra pesky line with a bit of offensive upside assuming Aaltonen is the 4C